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Whenever I ask people how much protein they *THINK* they are consuming per day, their usual response is... UMMMM I HAVE NO IDEA!?!?!?

This usually means that they are NOT getting enough protein per day in order to maintain lean muscle muscle and to see strength gains in the gym, if that is your goal. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the recommendation for sedentary individuals is 46 grams of protein per day for women and 65 grams of protein per day for men.... BUT, read.. that is assuming a sedentary lifestyle, not someone who moves, lifts or trains!

So.. how much protein do you REALLY need??

for people maintaining their weight or are in a muscle-building phase, aim for .8-1 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight daily.

for people that are dieting, aim higher.. 1-1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweightdaily.

If you don't feel like calculating.. use 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight daily as a baseline.

Example: say you weigh 130lbs, you want to try to get 130 grams of protein! 130 grams is probably more than you think, BUT.. good news!! The best part about adding more protein to your diet is that it satiates us the most, meaning you will feel fuller longer and it will reduce your cravings. A chicken breast the size of your fist has roughly 30 grams of protein.. so you'll need at LEAST 4 of those. But obviously, we don't want to eat chicken at every meal, so here's where my high-protein recommendations come in handy!

Below is a list of easy and delicious on-the-go snacks to help you hit your recommended protein intake!

Protein Shakes: mix 12-16 oz. of water or almond milk with 1 scoop of protein powder (My personal favorite brand is SLAP Nutrition because their flavors are BOMB - like mint chocolate chip, cinnamon swirl, and birthday cake- and they use no artificial crap or sweeteners which makes my tummy happy!)

Homemade Protein Treats: I will be adding a blog post on my favorite homemade recipes!